By Carol Mitchell
HOBART — Twenty women participated in an International Women's Day forum on Tasmania University on March 14. Speakers from the Greens, the Democratic Socialist Party and the Australian Women's Party addressed the question "Do we need more women in parliament?".
Louise Crossley spoke about the Greens' success in getting women into parliament and argued that "if you want to change the way politics are done in this country, women have to get in there". Lin McQueen from the AWP said that the new women-only party was an important "vehicle for women who want to be in parliament". Sarah Stephens from the DSP argued that "having women in parliament is not enough when the policies of their parties fail to adequately address issues of concern to all women".
The forum followed an IWD speak-out involving about 30 women at Salamanca Lawns on March 9. The action provided an opportunity for a wide range of women, young and older, to publicly speak out about the effects of the continuing attacks on women's health, reproductive rights, working conditions and educational access on themselves and other women.